1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved handle for use on tools such as shovels and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tools such as shovels (including snow shovels, spades, and scoops), forks and the like typically have handles comprising a single straight shaft which is secured to a head of the tool along a central axis of the tool head. One problem with such tool handles arises when the user must lift the tool head off of the ground in order to dump or expel a load therefrom. To lift the tool, the user must bend over at the waist, grasp the handle near the tool head, and lift the tool using his back. Lifting with the back in this manner often causes strain or injury to the user""s back. Previous attempts to address this problem include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,499,852, 5,921,600 and 6,062,619, which describe auxiliary handles for attachment to a single shaft tool handle, the auxiliary handles being intended to extend upwardly from the primary tool handle shaft so that the user does not have to bend over as far in order to lift the tool head. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 171,325 discloses a drag rake handle having a pair of limbs mounted at an acute angle to one another and having an auxiliary handle mounted between the limbs. The auxiliary handle may be mounted so as to extend upwardly from the limbs.
None of these previous attempts to provide tool handles which facilitate lifting appear to have gained widespread use, and therefore there remains a need for an ergonomically designed tool handle which is relatively easy to use and which facilitates lifting.
The present invention comprises a handle for tools such as shovels and the like. The handle includes first and second legs, each of which has a first end which is securable to a tool head such that the first and second legs extend outwardly from the tool head in generally parallel relation to one another. A handlebar is connected to second ends of the first and second legs. The handlebar is outwardly curved to accommodate a normal orientation of a user""s wrists. A lower handle is slidably connected to said first and second legs so as to be moveable toward and away from the handlebar and pivotable between a retracted position and an operating position. In the operating position the lower handle extends outward from a plane defined by the first and second legs. A slide lock is provided for selectively securing the lower handle to the first and second legs.